Tenda sema nenda zako (Do good and go your way)

Kimutai Kemboi: "Associating or sharing things with someone living with HIV cannot make you contract the virus, so be friendly and generous as you would to any other person."

It is so ironic to find many people even in this 21st century still taking themselves back to the dark ages despite all the information that has been made available almost everywhere concerning HIV. People living with HIV still go through hell, even in their families. I find it painful that those who should be always there to support those who are sick are taking the forefront to curse them.

One thing I wish people should know is that being HIV positive is an option but this can change in a matter of seconds. You can be negative now, but the next minute you might be exposed to the virus. If so, then tomorrow it will be a totally different story!

A person can brag around about being HIV-negative but he or she doesn't know what tomorrow holds! And though you might not be infected today, trust you me, you are still affected. You better take care of that person you know has cntracted the virus since chances are that it could be you tomorrow. Should it be, God forbid, you will need someone to look after you.

I am not saying do it so that it will be done unto you... Tenda sema nenda zako (Do good and go your way blessing will find its way into your life through such!

When a person contracts HIV, he remains a human being. The virus in his veins does not make him a vampire or a plague to be avoided. She or he still remains a parent or sibling, a relative or a friend. Associating or sharing things with someone living with HIV cannot make you contract the virus, so be friendly and generous as you would to any other person. Remember HIV is not airborne and you cannot contract when staying close to an infected person, you can only get it if you come into contact with their blood or semen (in instances of unprotected sex) which are rare occasions.

Let us give them the hope and support they need. We are the people they are looking to and if we turn against them we will be doing no good but hurting them more. Despite their condition, they are the people to make tomorrow a better day.

People with HIV do have voices and thus count!

As a person living with HIV, I know I have a voice and I count; I am here to define tomorrow. I therefore stand together with my fellow survivors and Anti-Stigma agents to say no to stigma against people living with HIV.

About the Author

"I am Kimutai Kemboi, turning 26 on 9th of April 2017. Currently I am pursuing an undergraduate degree in computer science at Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya.

"I’m HIV positive and under medication but doing well health wise since I have accepted to live positively, adhere to medication and practice a healthy lifestyle so that HIV does not overwhelm me. Besides my studies, I work as a volunteer to create HIV awareness and sensitivity in the community, both face to face and through social media platforms, especially Facebook.

"I opted to do this awareness-raising because I want to have an HIV-free society and save my generation from perishing."